Monday, February 29, 2016

Of course I'm talking about Abby, my furry little garbage can! She will eat anything.......anything! I swear at least once a day I am sticking my fingers in her mouth and it's NOT pleasant. (Somethings I don't want to talk about.....ewww)
With the mild winter there is no frost in the ground so the snow plows have left clumps of torn up sod everywhere. And she eats them! I see them up ahead on the lawn or sidewalk and I "think" I've got a good hold on her and then she friggin pelican dives to get them

I ate lunch today in front of the tv and left a napkin on the coffee table. I left the room for no more than 30 seconds and returned to find a thousand shreds of paper on the floor and pulled a wad of it from her mouth. Nothing is safe. NOTHING
We have a box full of dog toy corpses, naturally a little light on stuffing. Dog toys do not survive. I've started buying stuffed baby toys at the thrift store for .75 cents each. These survive. This is what I don't understand. Dogs have teeth.....babies do not.....so why are baby toys sturdier?? Ughhhhh
She's a furry little garbage eater! Help.........

Saturday, February 27, 2016

I know it's just a weather tease but it was a gorgeous day. Cool temps but lots of gorgeous sunshine. It was the kind of day that being outside made you just wonder "could spring be right around the corner?" I know we will have a few more blasts of winter before it's over but today I sensed Spring and I loved it.
After brunch with a gal pal I came home and hit the dye pots again. I'm so loving dyeing wool. This time I wanted to try out a little mottling. So 2 pots, same color formula in each. One pot I stirred and the other I just gently poked.

What do you think? I have to say, for a first attempt I'm pretty pleased. Next time I think I'll use less water in the mottled pot
I had some other colors I wanted to try but didn't have the right dyes. Guess I'll have to make another list

Friday, February 26, 2016

There have always been some things I felt were beyond my many talents. (Ok stop laughing). In the last few years I've learned to make tea biscuits that do not taste or feel like hockey pucks, I've figured out that neat tight little roll of a perfect cinnamon bun, I've figured out how to fix countless house maintenance issues and I've learned how to dye my own wool. But making bread has always seemed out of reach. Some mystical kitchen magic only special people blessed by the baking gods can attain the perfect loaf with a slightly chewy yet crispy golden brown crust and soft fluffy insides.
Then I saw a recipe link on Facebook --- 4 ingredients, easy directions. Should I dare be so bold as to try? What did I have to lose? 3 cups of flour? Just try it

Mix the four ingredients, cover the bowl and leave it overnight. That's my kind of recipe -- mix and leave it. Into the oven and soon you get this

It sure looks pretty. But how will it taste? Chances are it can't be pretty AND tasty. Or can it?

I slathered that piece in butter and it was incredible. And it was so easy it was almost criminal.
http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2016/02/12/homemade-artisan-bread-easiest-bread-recipe-ever.html
Try it

Thursday, February 25, 2016

After last February, one shouldn't really complain about early spring-like weather but this is me so here goes.....
My first gripe started in the middle of the night. I woke up and I was seriously overheated. My first thought was "oh great, a hot flash" so I threw the duvet on the floor and went back to sleep.

When morning came I got dressed to take Abby out. My typical February early morning outfit. Boots, scarf, gloves, parka with the hood up. I opened the door and it was friggin tropical out. Like almost 60 degrees and I was dressed for minus 30. (I must have looked like a moron).
Then there was the other obvious reminder of spring - the unmistakable smell of skunk

It was strong and it was close. I never did see him but I almost got whiplash checking over my shoulder multiple times. And again this evening but now it's dark so I was even more afraid. I just have this feeling that super social Abby is going to try and make a new friend some night. Ughhhhh
This is some seriously weird weather

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Ok, it's finally happened. I've become one of those obnoxious Gen Xers who takes their dog to doggie day care.

I'm now one of those people I used to laugh at........ But just look at how happy my baby was on her first day

And she even made a little friend. Awwwwww

Now before you think I've completely gone over the edge this is not going to be a regular thing. Maybe a couple of times a month where Abby can get better socialized with other dogs and get some exercise. And it will help me out when my work schedule is heavy.
When I bring her home she is worn out. She goes right to bed for several hours which is a nice break for me

Sunday, February 21, 2016

I finally took the plunge and made my first attempt at dyeing my own wool.

I had all my stuff gathered and re-read the several helpful tips my blog friends have sent me and I was ready. The wool was soaked. I only dyed one yard for a start, 2 different colours. What's the worse that can happen?

I think I'm hooked. I made a half yard of pepperberry red and a half of slate blue

Based on the pictures in the dye book, this is what they are supposed to look like!! At the moment I only have a limited amount of dye colours so my options are still limited but I can't wait to try again next weekend.
I don't know why I waited so long. This is fun!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

So, the other day I open up Facebook and I had a new friend request. Those are always exciting. I mean who doesn't want to make friends, right? Well.........my jaw dropped to the floor and then I started to laugh. You know, that evil maniacal kind a laughter. Mwahahhaha!!!
This story really starts almost 45 years ago. It was first grade and little Kimmie with her honey coloured ringlets had a special pair of scissors. My grandfathers sister sent me a pair of pink plastic safety scissors with the handles in the shape of a little bird. They were so pretty and NO ONE else had a pair like them. They came all the way from Boston!
They were like this only so much better

Then, one day I went to reach for them under my desk and THEY WERE GONE. I looked everywhere, pulling all the stuff out and desperately looking for my extra special scissors. And then I saw them a few desks away, in the hands of Jane Doe. And she wouldn't give them back! I cried and told the teacher and that sticky-fingered first grader told the teacher they were HERS!
I went home and cried to my Mom and she told me to forget it, that maybe "Jane" couldn't afford scissors and needed them more than me and Mom would buy me new scissors. But they would never be the same.
"Jane" took the scissors home and I never saw them again. Hrumph, she probably traded them for cigarettes on the playground from some six graders. Yes it's possible, she was that kind of girl (even at 5 years old)
So it's now 45 years later and apparently I'm still not over it. Lol. I swear when her name popped up its the first thing that came to mind. The second thing to come to my mind was "are they allowed to Facebook in prison?".

Ok, she's not really in prison but I always figured she was destined for there.
So as for the Facebook friend request.........

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Seems like everyone is talking about some dumb football game today. Everyone except me

Instead I focused on a different kind of bowl - my own super bowl

I found a recipe for toasted coconut cupcakes. It's here http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/desserts/toasted-coconut-cupcakes/
If you love anything coconut like me, make these. I didn't make the frosting because I don't like frosting so I'm calling these coconut muffins. I don't know if it's a rule or just something I made up but in my mind if it has frosting it's a cupcake and without it's a muffin.
I'm in a blog slump, and a hooking slump. I picked up my project the other night and looked at it again ........blah

I'm kind of hating it. And the top half is almost all hooked. So I have to decide whether to abandon or rip out ALL the background and try again . For now it sits on the floor.
Winter has visited us again with more on the way this week. I had a few minutes to kill Saturday so popped into the pet store. Doggie sweaters were on sale so Miss Abby got a couple of new sweaters. She is so funny in the snow. I shovelled her a little spot to do her business but she'd prefer to climb up and go in the deep stuff

Time to make a cup of hot chocolate, eat another muffin and wait for Downton Abbey.